Week 6: Learning to Be Like Water

"I am fluid...the best thing to learn in life is how to travel through it without trying to change things, but rather being open for change. Life is not about making people, things, and/or situations adapt to your flow, but more so about learning that there is always more than one way. You really start living when you surrender to all of the possibilities." Cha Jones

Wow, I have been in South Korean for six weeks now! I love it! I can’t complain about much of anything. At the age of thirty-three I have experienced many things in life and the one thing I am so thankful for is, “change.” I love water. I love looking at it and I really admire the fact that it can change often. My life is like water, I am a person who maneuvers through life with ease, and I believe that being like water has given me the ability to adapt to many pleasant and unpleasant situations.

Living in Korea is not difficult at all and I really have enjoyed the short time that I have been here. Prior to my arrival I tried to remove all expectations and to be as open to the possibilities as possible, and I think it paid off. I do have things that I miss at home, but for the most part I have everything I need. I have no worries, and every day I realize something new about me and/or what I think about certain things. I find that I am challenging my thoughts and perspective and it is very interesting.

At this time my motto is, “Do things differently.” I want this experience to be so unlike anything I have ever done, and so I am attempting to step out all of my comfort zones and try things in different ways. Recently, I met some individuals and I decided I would not judge or question why we met, but rather take the advice of one of them and, “Be free Ms. Cha, you are friend and God will take care of you.” I am friend and I think that being a friendly, free spirited and loving person has always open the door of opportunity for me and I am grateful. I have always been one who never met a stranger and sometimes it really scares me that I can be so open to different people, but on the other hand I love people and I allow my instincts to guide me and protect me.

I am learning more about the language and the culture and I have three students that agreed to teach me Korean, and so in exchange I teach them Spanish, well the little I do know. So, along with their assistance I think I will take some free Korean lessons at a language exchange program and when I go home I will be able to say I learned to speak Korea. However, I think that it’s rather important to be in a country and be able to communicate with the people.

So, as I reflect back on the time that I have had here I can say that this is one my best decisions. I have met wonderful people and I have seen some great things. I look forward to all the interesting things that I have ahead of me.